69-616: Mirella Freni , OMRI ( Italian: [miˈrɛlːa ˈfreːni] , born Mirella Fregni , 27 February 1935 – 9 February 2020) was an Italian operatic soprano who had a career of 50 years and appeared at major international opera houses. She received international attention at the Glyndebourne Festival , where she appeared as Zerlina in Mozart's Don Giovanni and as Adina in Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore . Freni
138-739: A broadcast matinée of Fedora at the Metropolitan Opera on April 26, 1997, Freni was presented with the Key to the City of New York by then mayor, Rudolph W. Giuliani . In 2005, the Metropolitan Opera celebrated the 40th anniversary of her Met debut and her 50th anniversary on stage with a special gala concert conducted by James Levine . Order of Merit of the Italian Republic The Order of Merit of
207-489: A first version of the ending with a few passages of his own, and even a few sentences added to the libretto, which was not considered complete even by Puccini. After the severe criticisms by Ricordi and the conductor Arturo Toscanini, he was forced to write a second, strictly censored version that followed Puccini's sketches more closely, to the point where he did not set some of Adami's text to music because Puccini had not indicated how he wanted it to sound. Ricordi's real concern
276-545: A production staged by Franco Zeffirelli and conducted by Herbert von Karajan . She became one of the conductor 's favourite singers in operas and concerts. The production was repeated at the Vienna State Opera the same year, and she appeared at the house in eleven roles, including the title role of Puccini's Manon Lescaut , and Amelia in Verdi's Simon Boccanegra . On 29 September 1965, she first appeared at
345-486: A recording. She performed as Manon Lescaut in the Metropolitan Opera's 1990 season, and recorded Madama Butterfly and the three roles of Il trittico . Freni chose her roles carefully, saying in an interview: "I am generous in many ways, but not when I think it will destroy my voice. Some singers think they are gods who can do everything. But I have always been honest with myself and my possibilities." She refused Karajan's offers of Leonora in Verdi's Il trovatore and
414-598: A savvy modern addition on a historic building." In 2024, Opera Delaware premiered a newly commissioned completion by composer Derrick Wang , which was praised as "adept," "respectful," and "seamless." Daniela Kerck made another version for the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden in 2024, using exclusively music by Puccini, the unfinished opera followed by his 1905 Requiem antiphone. She identified Calaf with Puccini, and other characters with people from his life, beginning and ending
483-471: A single imperious gesture, orders the execution to continue. The Prince of Tartary, who has never seen Turandot before, falls immediately in love with her, and joyfully cries out Turandot's name three times, foreshadowing the riddles to come. Then the Prince of Persia cries out Turandot's name one final time, mirroring the Prince of Tartary. The crowd, horrified, screams out one final time and the Prince of Persia
552-735: A staple of operatic recitals. Luciano Pavarotti popularized the piece beyond the opera world in the 1990s with his performance of it for the 1990 World Cup , which received a global audience. Both Pavarotti and Plácido Domingo released singles of the aria, with Pavarotti's reaching number 2 in the UK. The Three Tenors performed the aria at three subsequent World Cup Finals , in 1994 in Los Angeles, 1998 in Paris, and 2002 in Yokohama. Many crossover and pop artists have performed and recorded it and
621-787: A twelfth-century epic by the Persian poet Nizami . One of the stories in Haft Peykar features a Russian princess. In 1722, François Pétis de la Croix published his Les Mille et un jours (The Thousand and One Days), a collection of stories which were purportedly taken from Middle Eastern folklore and mythologies. One of these stories, believed to be inspired by Nizami, features a cold princess named Turandokht. However, it has been speculated that many of de la Croix's 'translated' stories were his own original creations, with no actual basis in Middle Eastern cultures. De la Croix's story
690-466: A way out: if she is able to guess his name before dawn the next day, he will accept death. The title of the opera is derived from the Persian term Turandokht ( توراندخت , 'daughter of Turan '), a name frequently given to Central Asian princesses in Persian poetry. Turan is a region of Central Asia that was once part of the Persian Empire . Dokht is a contraction of dokhtar (daughter);
759-631: Is associated with the role of Mimì in Puccini's La bohème , which featured in her repertoire from 1957 to 1999 and which she sang at La Scala in Milan and the Vienna State Opera in 1963, conducted by Herbert von Karajan . She also performed the role in a film of the production and as her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in 1965. In the earliest opera DVDs, she portrayed her characters convincingly in both acting and singing. Freni
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#1732776460040828-482: Is beheaded. The Prince of Tartary is dazzled by Turandot's beauty. He is about to rush towards the gong and to strike it three times – the symbolic gesture of whoever wishes to attempt to solve the riddles so that he can marry Turandot – when the ministers Ping, Pang, and Pong appear. They urge him cynically not to lose his head for Turandot and instead to go back to his own country ("Fermo, che fai?" "Stop, what are you doing?"). Timur urges his son to desist, and Liù, who
897-406: Is followed almost immediately by Calaf's "rough wooing" of Turandot, and the "bombastic" end to the opera. A later attempt at completing the opera was made, with the co-operation of the publishers, Ricordi, in 2002 by Luciano Berio . The Berio version is considered to overcome some of these criticisms, but critics such as Michael Tanner have failed to be wholly convinced by the new ending, noting that
966-550: Is overjoyed at seeing Timur alive, but still urges Timur not to speak his name because he is afraid that the Chinese rulers, who have conquered Tartary, may kill or harm them. Timur then tells his son that, of all his servants, only Liù has remained faithful to him. When the Prince asks her why, she tells him that once, long ago in the palace, the Prince had smiled at her (Trio with chorus – The crowd, Liù, Prince of Tartary, Timur: "Indietro, cani!" – "Back, dogs!"). The moon rises, and
1035-609: Is pure and fresh, operating without seam from bottom to top, marvelously colored at every point by what seems to be an instinctive response to the urging of the text. She later appeared there as Adina in Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore , Liù in Puccini's Turandot , Marguerite in Gounod's Faust , Juliette in Roméo et Juliette , as Susanna, Micaela and Manon Lescaut. The following year she sang Mimì again for her Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company debut, with Flaviano Labò as Rodolfo. From
1104-484: Is sacred and that it is Turandot's duty to wed the Prince (Duet – Turandot, Altoum, the Prince: "Figlio del cielo"). She cries out in despair, "Will you take me by force? ( Mi porterai con la forza? ) The Prince stops her, saying that he has a riddle for her: "You do not know my name. Tell me my name before sunrise, and at dawn, I will die." Turandot accepts. The Emperor then declares that he hopes that he will be able to call
1173-442: Is secretly in love with the Prince, pleads with him not to attempt to solve the riddles (" Signore, ascolta! " – "Lord, hear!"). Liù's words touch the Prince's heart. He begs Liù to make Timur's exile more bearable by not abandoning Timur if the Prince fails to answer the riddles (" Non piangere, Liù " – "Do not cry, Liù"). The three ministers, Timur, and Liù then try one last time to stop the Prince ("Ah! Per l'ultima volta!" – "Ah! For
1242-425: Is shaken. The crowd cheers the Prince, provoking Turandot's anger. She presents her third riddle ("Gelo che ti da foco" – "What is ice which gives you fire and which your fire freezes still more?"). He proclaims, "It is Turandot! Turandot!" The crowd cheers for the triumphant Prince. Turandot throws herself at her father's feet and pleads with him not to leave her to the Prince's mercy. The Emperor insists that an oath
1311-445: Is the folk melody " Mò Li Hūa (茉莉花) " ('Jasmine Flower'). Mò Li Hūa serves as a leitmotif for Princess Turandot's splendor. In total, eight of the themes from Turandot appear to be based on traditional Chinese music and anthems. By March 1924, Puccini had completed the opera up to the final duet. However, he was dissatisfied with the text of the final duet, and did not continue until 8 October, when he chose Adami's fourth version of
1380-683: The Glyndebourne Festival , where she appeared in 1960 as Zerlina in Mozart's Don Giovanni , alongside Joan Sutherland as Donna Anna, and in 1962 as Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro , and as Adina in Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore , directed by Franco Zeffirelli . In 1961, Freni first performed at the Royal Opera House in London as Nannetta in Verdi's Falstaff . She stepped in as Nannetta at La Scala in Milan for Renata Scotto . On 31 January 1963, she appeared there as Mimì in
1449-500: The Metropolitan Opera in New York City, again as Mimì, with Gianni Raimondi as Rodolfo who also made his house debut. Reviewer Alan Rich wrote in the New York Herald Tribune : Miss Freni is—well, "irresistible" will do for a start. Beautiful to look at, and actress of simple naturalness and overwhelming intelligence, she used voice and gesture to create a Mimì of ravishing femininity and grace. The voice itself
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#17327764600401518-535: The People's Liberation Army as extras. It was an international collaboration, with director Zhang Yimou as choreographer and Zubin Mehta as conductor. The singing roles saw Giovanna Casolla , Audrey Stottler, and Sharon Sweet as Princess Turandot; Sergej Larin and Lando Bartolini as Calaf; and Barbara Frittoli , Cristina Gallardo-Domâs , and Barbara Hendricks as Liù. The aria " Nessun dorma " has long been
1587-689: The Salzburg Festival conducted by Valery Gergiev in August 2002. However, its reception was mixed. In late 2007, Chinese composer Hao Weiya made another completion before the opening of National Centre for the Performing Arts , also resulting in a mixed reception. In 2024, Washington National Opera premiered a newly commissioned ending by composer Christopher Tin and librettist Susan Soon He Stanton to very positive reviews. Michael Andor Brodeur of The Washington Post called
1656-425: The kh and t are both pronounced. Standard Italian pronunciation prescribes pronouncing the final t . However, according to Puccini scholar Patrick Vincent Casali, the t is silent in the name of the opera and of its title character, thus [turanˈdo] . Soprano Rosa Raisa , who created the title role, said that neither Puccini nor Arturo Toscanini , who conducted the first performances, ever pronounced
1725-498: The 1926 La Scala season included Alfano's ending. Soon after its premiere in Milan, Turandot spread to other cities. Miguel Fleta and Franco Lo Giudice as Calaf (alternating) Ettore Panizza (all performances after Toscanini's departure) Giacomo Lauri Volpi as Calaf Richard Tauber as Calaf Leo Slezak as Calaf Giacomo Lauri Volpi as Calaf Victor Verteneuil as Calaf Francesco Merli as Calaf Armand Tokatyan as Calaf Boris Evlakhov as Calaf For many years,
1794-600: The American composer Janet Maguire , convinced that the whole ending is coded in the sketches left by Puccini, composed a new ending, but this has never been performed. In 2001, Luciano Berio made a new completion sanctioned by Casa Ricordi and the Puccini estate, using Puccini's sketches but also expanding the musical language. It was subsequently performed in the Canary Islands and Amsterdam conducted by Riccardo Chailly , Los Angeles conducted by Kent Nagano , at
1863-599: The Emperor's throne. She declares that she knows the Prince's name: ("Diecimila anni al nostro Imperatore!") – "It is ... love!" The crowd sings and acclaims the two lovers ("O sole! Vita! Eternità"). While long recognised as the most tonally adventurous of Puccini's operas, Turandot has also been considered a flawed masterpiece, and some critics have been hostile. Joseph Kerman states that "Nobody would deny that dramatic potential can be found in this tale. Puccini, however, did not find it; his music does nothing to rationalize
1932-658: The Italian Republic ( Italian : Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana ) is the most senior Italian order of merit . It was established in 1951 by the second President of the Italian Republic , Luigi Einaudi . The highest-ranking honour of the Republic, it is awarded for "merit acquired by the nation" in the fields of literature, the arts, economy, public service, and social, philanthropic and humanitarian activities and for long and conspicuous service in civilian and military careers. The post-nominal letters for
2001-478: The Prince his son when the sun next rises. Scene 1: The palace gardens. Night In the distance, heralds call out Turandot's command: "Cosi comanda Turandot" – "This night, none shall sleep in Peking! The penalty for all will be death if the Prince's name is not discovered by morning." The Prince waits for dawn and anticipates his victory: " Nessun dorma " – "Let no one sleep!" Ping, Pong, and Pang appear and offer
2070-424: The Prince to withdraw but again he refuses. The Princess presents her first riddle: "Straniero, ascolta!" – "What is born each night and dies each dawn?" The Prince correctly replies, Speranza – "Hope". The Princess, unnerved, presents her second riddle ("Guizza al pari di fiamma" – "What flickers red and warm like a flame, but is not fire?") The Prince thinks for a moment before replying, Sangue – "Blood". Turandot
2139-542: The Prince to withdraw his challenge, but the Prince refuses (Aria – Altoum, the Prince: "Un giuramento atroce" – "An atrocious oath"). Turandot enters and explains (" In questa reggia " – "In this palace") that her ancestress of millennia past, Princess Lo-u-Ling, reigned over her kingdom "in silence and joy, resisting the harsh domination of men" until she was raped and murdered by an invading foreign prince. Turandot claims that Lo-u-Ling now lives in her and, out of revenge, Turandot has sworn never to let any man wed her. She warns
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2208-467: The Prince women and riches if he will only give up Turandot ("Tu che guardi le stelle"), but he refuses. A group of soldiers then drag in Timur and Liù. They have been seen speaking to the Prince, so they must know his name. Turandot enters and orders Timur and Liù to speak. The Prince feigns ignorance, saying they know nothing. But when the guards begin to treat Timur harshly, Liù declares that she alone knows
2277-604: The Prince's foolishness. Scene 1: A pavilion in the imperial palace. Before sunrise Ping, Pang, and Pong lament their place as ministers, poring over palace documents and presiding over endless rituals. They prepare themselves for either a wedding or a funeral (Trio – Ping, Pang, Pong: "Ola, Pang!"). Ping suddenly longs for his country house in Honan , with its small lake surrounded by bamboo. Pong remembers his grove of forests near Tsiang, and Pang recalls his gardens near Kiu. The three share their fond memories of their lives away from
2346-519: The Prince's name, but she will not reveal it. Ping demands the Prince's name, and when Liù refuses to say it, she is tortured. Turandot is clearly taken aback by Liù's resolve and asks Liù who or what gave her such a strong resolve. Liù answers, "Princess, love!" ("Principessa, amore!"). Turandot demands that Ping tear the Prince's name from Liù, and Ping orders Liù to be tortured even more. Liù counters Turandot (" Tu che di gel sei cinta " – "You who are encircled by ice"), saying that Turandot too will learn
2415-489: The Prince, she realized she both hated and loved him. She tells him to ask for nothing more and to leave, taking his mystery with him. The Prince, however, then reveals his name: "Calaf, son of Timur – Calaf, figlio di Timur", thereby placing his life in Turandot's hands. She can now destroy him if she wants (Duet – Turandot, Calaf: "Del primo pianto"). Scene 2: The courtyard of the palace. Dawn Turandot and Calaf approach
2484-630: The age of 70 at the Washington National Opera on 11 April 2005. Freni died on 9 February 2020 at her home in Modena. According to her manager, she died "after a long degenerative illness and a series of strokes". On 12 February, her coffin was moved from the funeral home to the Teatro Comunale Modena for public tribute and then transferred in a procession to Modena Cathedral , where the funeral took place. Freni
2553-731: The aria has been used in the soundtracks of numerous films. Turandot is a staple of the standard operatic repertoire and it appears as number 17 on the Operabase list of the most-performed operas worldwide. The debate over which version of the ending is better is still open. Alfano's original ending to the opera was first recorded (as part of an album with Josephine Barstow singing final scenes of several operas) by John Mauceri and Scottish Opera (with Josephine Barstow and Lando Bartolini as soloists) for Decca Records in 1990 to great acclaim. However, it may have been staged in Germany in
2622-609: The crowd becomes subdued, very afraid and ashamed. The grieving Timur and the crowd follow Liù's body as it is carried away. Everybody departs, leaving the Prince and Turandot alone. He reproaches Turandot for her cruelty (Duet – The Prince, Turandot: "Principessa di morte" – "Princess of death"), then takes her in his arms and kisses her in spite of her resistance. The Prince tries to persuade Turandot to love him. At first, she feels disgusted, but after he kisses her, she feels herself becoming more ardently desiring to be held and compassionately loved by him. She admits that ever since she met
2691-422: The crowd's cries for blood dissolve into silence. The doomed Prince of Persia, who is on his way to be executed, is led before the crowd. The young Prince is so handsome and kind that the crowd and the Prince of Tartary decide that they want Turandot to act compassionately, and they beg Turandot to appear and spare his life (Aria – The crowd, Prince of Tartary: "O giovinetto!" – "O youth!"). She then appears, and with
2760-514: The duet text. Two days later, he was diagnosed with throat cancer . Puccini seems to have had some inkling of the seriousness of his condition: before leaving for Brussels for treatment, he visited Arturo Toscanini and begged him, "Don't let my Turandot die." He died of a heart attack on 29 November 1924. When Puccini died, the first two of the three acts were fully composed, including the orchestration. Puccini had composed and fully orchestrated Act Three up until Liù's death and funeral cortege. In
2829-777: The early 1970s into the 1980s, Freni sang heavier Verdi roles, including Elisabetta in John Dexter 's production of Don Carlos , Desdemona in Otello (alongside Jon Vickers ), Amelia in Simon Boccanegra , Elvira in the Luca Ronconi staging of Ernani , Leonora in La forza del destino , and the title role of Aida performed in the Houston Grand Opera in 1987. She appeared as Puccini's Tosca only on
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2898-414: The early years, since Ricordi had commissioned a German translation of the text and a number of scores were printed in Germany with the full final scene included. Alfano's second ending has been further redacted as well: Turandot's aria "Del primo pianto" was performed at the premiere but cut from the first complete recording; it was eventually restored to most performances of the opera. From 1976 to 1988,
2967-401: The exquisite joy of being guided by caring and compassionate love. Having spoken, Liù seizes a dagger from a soldier's belt and stabs herself. As she staggers towards the Prince and falls dead, the crowd screams for her to speak the Prince's name. Since Timur is blind, he must be told about Liù's death, and he cries out in anguish. When Timur warns that the gods will be offended by Liù's death,
3036-608: The final t . Similarly, prominent Turandot Eva Turner did not pronounce the final t in television interviews. Casali maintains that the musical setting of many of Calaf's utterances of the name makes sounding the final t all but impossible. On the other hand, Simonetta Puccini , the composer's granddaughter and keeper of the Villa Puccini and Mausoleum , has said that the final t must be pronounced. The beginnings of Turandot can likely be found in Haft Peykar ,
3105-467: The first time a rank higher than Knight. The minimum age requirement is normally 35. The Knight Grand Cross with Collar is awarded only to heads of state . Turandot Turandot ( Italian: [turanˈdɔt] ; see below ) is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to a libretto in Italian by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni . Puccini left the opera unfinished at
3174-601: The government of the People's Republic of China forbade performance of Turandot because they said it portrayed China and the Chinese unfavorably. Instead of a single nationwide decree against it, any attempts to produce it were not approved. In the late 1990s they relented, and in September 1998 the opera was performed for eight nights as Turandot at the Forbidden City , complete with opulent sets and soldiers from
3243-466: The last time!") from attempting to answer the riddles, but he refuses to heed their advice. He calls Turandot's name three times, and each time Liù, Timur, and the ministers reply, "Death!" and the crowd declares, "We're already digging your grave!" Rushing to the gong that hangs in front of the palace, the Prince strikes it three times, declaring himself to be a suitor. From the palace balcony, Turandot accepts his challenge, as Ping, Pang, and Pong laugh at
3312-546: The leading operatic basses of the post-war period. Together they helped to establish the Centro Universale del Bel Canto in Vignola , where they began giving master classes in 2002. After Ghiaurov's death in 2004, Freni continued their work of preserving the bel canto tradition, teaching young singers from around the world. Freni extended her repertoire and style during the 1990s with Italian Verismo , taking on
3381-425: The legend or illuminate the characters." Kerman also wrote that while Turandot is more "suave" musically than Puccini's earlier opera, Tosca , "dramatically it is a good deal more depraved." However, Sir Thomas Beecham once remarked that anything that Joseph Kerman said about Puccini "can safely be ignored". Some of this criticism is possibly due to the standard Alfano ending (Alfano II), in which Liù's death
3450-535: The liberty of the citizens) encircling the head of Italia turrita on the reverse. The six degrees with corresponding ribbons are as follows (with numbers to 2 June 2020): The order is bestowed by decree of the President of the Italian Republic , as head of the orders of knighthood, on the recommendation of the President of the Council of Ministers . Except in exceptional circumstances, no one can be awarded for
3519-500: The libretto. Puccini left instructions that Riccardo Zandonai should finish the opera. Puccini's son Tonio objected, and eventually Franco Alfano was chosen to flesh out the sketches after Vincenzo Tommasini (who had completed Boito 's Nerone after the composer's death) and Pietro Mascagni were rejected. Puccini's publisher Tito Ricordi II decided on Alfano because his opera La leggenda di Sakùntala resembled Turandot in its setting and heavy orchestration. Alfano provided
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#17327764600403588-711: The order are OMRI . The order effectively replaced national orders such as the Civil Order of Savoy (1831), the Order of the Crown of Italy (1868), the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (1572) and the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation (1362). Investiture takes place twice a year – on 2 June, the anniversary of the foundation of the Republic , and on 27 December, the anniversary of
3657-564: The palace (Trio – Ping, Pang, Pong: "Ho una casa nell'Honan" – "I have a house in Honan"). They turn their thoughts back to how they have been accompanying young princes to their deaths. As the palace trumpet sounds, the ministers ready themselves for another spectacle as they await the entrance of their Emperor. Scene 2: The courtyard of the palace. Sunrise The Emperor Altoum, father of Turandot, sits on his grand throne in his palace. Weary of having to judge his isolated daughter's sport, he urges
3726-448: The production 'refreshing' and declared "Even without the new ending — and Tin’s splendid musical additions, which draw sensibly from Puccini’s score while applying an entirely new emotional finish — Francesca Zambello ’s "Turandot" crackles with fresh energy". Heidi Waleson of The Wall Street Journal wrote that the new ending "fits the opera neatly. Its sound and attitude, while contemporary, grow organically from Puccini’s original, like
3795-570: The promulgation of the Italian Constitution . However, those awards on Presidential motu proprio , related to termination of service or granted to foreigners, may be made at any time. The badge, modified in 2001, bears the inscription Al Merito della Repubblica encircling the national coat of arms on the obverse and the Latin Patriæ Unitati (for the union of the country) and Civium Libertati (for
3864-410: The role of Prince Calaf, with Fleta singing the role on opening night. It was conducted by Arturo Toscanini. In the middle of Act III, the orchestra stopped playing. Toscanini turned to the audience and announced, "Qui finisce l'opera, perché a questo punto il maestro è morto" ("Here the opera ends, because at this point the maestro died"). The curtain was then lowered. A reporter for La Stampa recorded
3933-400: The sense of finished music, this was the last music composed by Puccini. He left behind 36 pages of sketches on 23 sheets for the end of Turandot . Some sketches were in the form of "piano-vocal" or "short score", including vocal lines with "two to four staves of accompaniment with occasional notes on orchestration." These sketches provided music for some, but not all, of the final portion of
4002-470: The story in Puccini's library with a grand piano. In this version, when Liú has taken her life and the music by Puccini ends, the Puccini on stage receives a kiss of death from Turandot and dies. In front of the imperial palace In China, the beautiful Princess Turandot will marry only a suitor who can answer three riddles. A Mandarin announces the law of the land (Aria – "Popolo di Pechino!" – "People of Peking!"). The Prince of Persia has failed to answer
4071-409: The text for the libretto. As with Madama Butterfly , Puccini strove for a semblance of authenticity by using music from the region, even commissioning a set of thirteen custom-made gongs. Baron Edoardo Fassini-Camossi, the former Italian diplomat to China, gave Puccini a music box that played 4 Chinese melodies. Puccini incorporated three of these melodies into his opera, the most memorable of which
4140-417: The three riddles, and he is to be beheaded at the next rising moon. As the crowd surges towards the gates of the palace, the imperial guards brutally repulse them, causing a blind old man to be knocked to the ground. The old man's slave-girl, Liù, cries out for help. A young man hears her cry and recognizes that the old man is his long-lost father, Timur, the deposed king of Tartary . The young Prince of Tartary
4209-531: The time of his death in 1924; it premiered in 1926 after the music was posthumously completed by Franco Alfano . The opera is set in China and follows the Prince Calaf, who falls in love with the cold Princess Turandot. In order to win her hand in marriage, a suitor must solve three riddles, with a wrong answer resulting in his execution. Calaf passes the test, but Turandot refuses to marry him. He offers her
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#17327764600404278-712: The title role in Puccini's Turandot . Elvira in Ernani was set aside after a single run at La Scala (and despite offers to sing the role elsewhere). She never sang Cio-Cio-San on stage, but recorded it twice, not including the 1975 film Madama Butterfly , alongside Plácido Domingo , with Karajan conducting and Jean-Pierre Ponnelle directing. She played Susanna in the Ponnelle film Le nozze di Figaro , which also featured Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau , Kiri Te Kanawa and Hermann Prey . In 1978, after her marriage to Magiera had ended in divorce, she married Nicolai Ghiaurov , one of
4347-824: The title roles of Francesco Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur in Milan, Paris, Barcelona and New York, and Umberto Giordano's Fedora in London, Milan, New York, Torino, Barcelona and Zürich. In 1997, she performed Giordano's Madame Sans-Gêne at the Teatro Massimo Bellini . During this time she sang in Russian operas, such as Tchaikovsky's Tatiana in Eugene Onegin , Lisa in The Queen of Spades , and Ioanna in The Maid of Orleans . Freni ended her professional career on stage, performing teenager Ioanna at
4416-481: The words slightly differently: "Qui finisce l'opera, rimasta incompiuta per la morte del povero Puccini" ("Here the opera ends, left incomplete by the death of the poor Puccini"). Others have reported that Toscanini said "Here, the Maestro laid down his pen." A newspaper report from 1926 states that Puccini asked Toscanini to stop the opera performance in the middle of Act III. The second and subsequent performances of
4485-552: Was adapted into a play, Turandot , by the Italian playwright Carlo Gozzi in 1762, which was then adapted by Friedrich Schiller into another play in 1801. It was Schiller's version that inspired Puccini to write the opera. Puccini began working on Turandot in March 1920 after meeting with librettists Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni . In his impatience, he began composition in January 1921, before Adami and Simoni had produced
4554-586: Was awarded the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in the grade of Knight Grand Cross in 1990, and the French Legion of Honour in March 1993. In 1995, she was appointed Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres . The University of Pisa awarded her an honorary degree in 2002 for her "great contribution to European culture." In 2009, she was promoted to the rank of Officer in the Legion of Honour. In
4623-757: Was easier to pronounce. Freni made her operatic debut at the Teatro Municipale in her hometown on 3 March 1955 as Micaëla in Bizet's Carmen . She later married her teacher, the pianist and director Leone Magiera ; the couple had a daughter. Freni resumed her career in 1958 when she performed Mimì in Puccini's La bohème at the Teatro Regio in Turin , and sang in De Nederlandse Opera 's 1959–60 season. Her international breakthrough came at
4692-611: Was married for many years to the Bulgarian bass Nicolai Ghiaurov , with whom she performed and recorded. Her obituary from The New York Times describes her as a "matchless Italian prima donna". Born in Modena , she had the same wet-nurse as Luciano Pavarotti , with whom she grew up and who was to become a frequent tenor partner on stage. She studied voice first with her uncle, Dante Arcelli, then with Luigi Bertazzoni and Ettore Campogalliani . She later changed her name thinking it
4761-537: Was not the quality of Alfano's work; he wanted the end of Turandot to sound as if it had been written by Puccini. Of this version, about three minutes were cut for performance by Toscanini, and it is this shortened version that is usually performed today. Turandot premiered at the La Scala opera house in Milan, Italy, on 25 April 1926, a year and five months after Puccini's death. Rosa Raisa played Turandot. Tenors Miguel Fleta and Franco Lo Giudice alternated in
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